Darren Fletcher: It was a sad day when Arsenal signed this 26-year-old great

Ex-Manchester United midfielder Darren Fletcher admits it was a sad day when Arsenal signed Danny Welbeck from his former club.

The 26-year-old attacker was shown the exit door by Louis van Gaal and discarded in a £16million deal late into deadline day in September 2014.

But Fletcher, who now plays for West Brom, insists that Manchester United were wrong to show Welbeck – and countless others – the exit at Old Trafford.

He told ESPN: “Lots of players who left under van Gaal should still be there, in my view. That’s not me having a go at anyone, but the day Danny Welbeck was sold to Arsenal was a sad day.

“He is what a Manchester United player should be about – a local lad, young, great player, team player, somebody who sacrificed himself for the greater good, loved by his teammates.

“He was on the brink of becoming a top, top player and he would have been a top player for United.”

Welbeck made a blistering start to his Arsenal career, bagging a goal and an assist in only his second Premier League game for the club, before adding a superb hat-trick in a Champions League win over Galatasaray.

But he has since been hampered with injuries, and his eason came to an abrupt end in April with eight goals and six assists to his name.

The long-term knee injury kept him sidelined until February the following year, where he netted five times from 15 appearances.

However, he was then dealt another devastating injury setback which kept him out for a further nine months, ending his chances of travelling to the European Championships last summer with England.

After making a return against Preston in January, Welbeck has seen limited first team action, starting only three of his eight appearances in all competitions.